1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to hair treatment, and more particularly, to a hair treatment device for use primarily in the process of setting hair and straightening naturally curly hair by applying tension to the hair shaft and applying a selected hair setting or relaxing solution. One of the problems associated with curly hair is the tendency of the hair ends to become "stringy" and difficult to manage. The hair shafts are subjected to tension, which causes the curls, and can be relaxed only by application of certain chemicals to eliminate, or at least minimize, the wave pattern in the hair. Typically, these chemicals are applied after the hair is parted, and the solution is allowed to remain on the hair for a specified period of time to relax the hair shafts and remove the wave. This technique has long been used to relax the natural wave in hair and to change the wave pattern to more manageable proportions. The hair treatment device of this invention includes a hollow tension roller of generally cylindrical configuration and provided with a plurality of spaced slots extending along the outside surface thereof, and along the longitudinal axis of the roller for engagement by a hook and stretch cord mechanism designed to apply tension to strands or tresses of hair which are wound on the roller. The hair strands so positioned on the roller can be subjected to a selected amount of tension by simply rotating the tension roller and selecting a suitable slot for engagement of the tension hook. A tension pin is provided in cooperation with the elastic band and tension hook in order to stabilize the roller in the hair and provide the desired degree of tension on the wound hair strands. The tension roller of this invention may be quickly and easily positioned in the hair, and the hair relaxing solutions of desired composition may then be applied in order to accomplish the desired purpose. The tension roller can also be used to "set" hair and create curly hair in permanent waves by using the tensioning means, as hereinafter described.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many devices for curling and treating hair are known in the prior art, and typical of such devices is the hair curling device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,105,503 to Albert Safianoff, which consists of a mandrel and a cooperating sleeve designed to hold a tress of hair in wound configuration on the mandrel. The device is designed to form curls in the hair as the individually wound tresses are caused to assume a curled configuration from winding on the mandrel. Another hair curling device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,423,252 to O. R. Nemeth, which device is used for both dressing and drying hair. The Nemeth apparatus includes a hollow cylindrical body fitted with a spaced disc and hole provided in the body to permit air to be blown through the hollow interior of the body and out of the holes. Hair tresses are wound around the cylindrical body between the discs, treated as desired, and then dried by application of air, for example, by means of a hair dryer. The tresses are then secured in place by elastic bands stretched from one end of the device to the other.
While the references described above are used primarily to render hair curly by the techniques described therein, the device of the instant invention is designed to both curl hair and to straighten naturally curly hair by applying tension to the hair shafts and subsequently applying a hair setting or relaxing solution of selected concentration to the hair. There exists today a need in the hair treatment field for, and it is an object of this invention to provide, a hair treatment device for both setting hair and straightening naturally curly hair, which device is small, light in weight, easy to manipulate, and to anchor in the hair, and is capable of receiving strands, tufts, or tresses of hair in isolated fashion for efficient treatment.
Another object of this invention is to provide a hair treatment device which applies tension to the hair shaft preparatory to application of a hair setting or relaxing solution, and eliminates the necessity for combing and smoothing the hair in isolated segments or sections prior to application of the hair treatment solution.
A still further object of this invention is to provide a new and improved hair treatment device which, in a preferred embodiment, is characterized by a generally cylindrically shaped, hollow and longitudinally-slotted tension roller which may be optionally fitted with a divider in order to permit separate treatment of different segments of the hair wound on the roller, and a cooperating securing means for stabilizing the tension roller and hair tufts or tresses wound threon in the hair, and applying tension to the hair shaft preparatory to application of a hair relaxing solution and/or a hair setting solution to create a smooth, wavy hair shaft which is easily managed.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide a hair treatment device which minimizes contact between the hair treatment solution and the scalp, and which includes a generally cylindrical shaped, hollow tension roller having a plurality of longitudinally-oriented grooves or slots provided in spaced relationship around the circumference thereof, and a tension means for selectively engaging the grooves and applying a desired degree of tension on the hair shafts wound on the roller to facilitate application of hair relaxing and/or hair setting solution to create a desired hair styling.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved hair treatment device which includes a generally cylindrically shaped, hollow tension roller having a plurality of slots provided in spaced relationship in the outer surface thereof, and a removable divider provided near the center of the tension roller in essentially corkscrew configuration to permit a hair tuft or tress to be wound on the roller and secured thereon in tension by application of a tension means cooperating with a selected one of the slots, and appropriate treatment of the hair tuft or strand, according to the desires of the user.
A still further object of the invention is to provide a cylindrical, hollow tension roller which, in a preferred embodiment of the invention is characterized by multiple, longitudinally-oriented slots or grooves in the outer peripheral surface thereof, and a cooperating tension means which is characterized by a tension pin fitted with an elastic cord and a tension hook at the opposite end of the cord for rolling hair strands on the tension roller, engagement of the tension hook with a selected one of the grooves or slots to provide a selected degree of tension on the hair strands, and treatment of the hair with setting or relaxing solutions to create a hair style of desired proportions and appearance.